In the report of Kalikasan, there are 23 ongoing projects in and around Manila Bay, covering 47,000 hectares of seascapes and landscapes that put the Filipino people vulnerable against storm surges, floods, and coastal erosion.
The year 2023 affirmed the significance of enjoining the people to voice out their demands and aspirations while battling the social evils that continue to plague the nation.
“Officials from the PRA should be educated that it’s the mangrove trees, not the destructive reclamation, that shield coastal communities from intense flooding.”
“Over the years, the DENR has been complicit with big corporations involved in reclamation and other forms of conversion in Manila Bay, putting the livelihood and other socio-economic rights of fishers at stake.”
Science and development should consider the actual conditions experienced on the ground and prioritize projects that genuinely benefit communities. The situation in Baseco is not an isolated incident but rather a problem prevalent in various parts of the country.
The fisherfolk themselves fear that they will lose their livelihood. Why is DENR invalidating this concern? Reclaiming the coasts of Cavite to make way for big business will involve not only the demolition of illegal structures but even those owned by licensed owners. Eventually, the fisherfolk will be at the disadvantage.
Thirty families were told to vacate the land where they have lived for decades to give way to the 576-hectare reclamation project of San Miguel Corporation.
‘There is no real rehabilitation if the Manila Bay ends up with profit-driven corporations.’